Joe Torrillo is a retired New York firefighter with an inspirational story to tell. A survivor of the 9/11 attack on the twin towers of the World Trade Centre, Joe survived a series of four coordinated terrorist attacks on one of New York’s most prominent landmarks, which resulted in almost 3000 fatalities and over 25,000 people injured. In an act of heroism and bravery, Joe found himself amongst the devastation of the attacks and has lived to tell the tales as a public speaker today.
Joe was a Lieutenant in the New York City Fire Department when his life was changed forever. After becoming injured during 1996, Joe was assigned to help design The Fire Zone, a children’s fire safety centre. In partnership with The Fire Zone, Joe was invited to design an action figure, calling the doll ‘Billy Blazes’. On the 11th of September 2001, Joe was set to attend a press release of the Billy Blaze action figure. However, he never made it to the conference as he witnessed the first of four terror attacks on the World Trade Centre.
In an act of pure heroism, Joe borrowed spare kit and joined his fellow firefighters to assess the blaze that was engulfing the Twin Towers. As he arrived at the scene, the second jet plunged into the towers, and with Joe’s knowledge of building structures, he knew he had to do something to help those inside the collapsing twin towers. Unfortunately, before he could act, the south tower collapsed and buried Joe alive under the rubble. Once rescued from the rubble, Joe was to be sent downriver to hospital, but before he could make it the north tower collapsed and Joe was once again buried alive.
Miraculously, Joe survived being buried alive twice and today lives to tell the tale. As a public speaker, Joe recounts his tale as a survivor of the horrific 9/11 attacks reliving how he recovered from a fractured skull, crushed spine, broken ribs and internal bleeding. Left with life-long injuries, Joe is an inspiration to all that no matter what happens to you in life you must keep going and overcome adversity. Today, ‘Billy Blaze’ represents the incredible 343 firefighters who committed their last service to help during the devastation of 9/11.
As a public speaker, Joe continues to speak about the devastating occurrences of 9/11/2001 to ensure that the sacrifices made by the heroic servicemen and women are not forgotten. In his speeches, Joe is known to speak about resurrecting patriotism, never giving up on dreams, embracing change and celebrating members of the Armed Services. A remarkable individual with a special story to tell, Joe is the perfect motivational speaker for a range of corporate events.
How to hire Joe Torrillo
Contact the Champions Speakers Agency to provisionally enquire about hiring Joe Torrillo for your next event, today. To get in touch, simply call an official booking agent on 0207 1010 553 or email us at [email protected] for more information.
** We do not accept requests for autographs, signed merchandise, fan mail, birthday messages or any other non-commercial contact with the speakers or acts. Each speaker on the website may not have necessarily worked with Champions in the past but are known to perform such engagements within the industry.
When he's at events, Joe covers the following topics:
- Buried alive with the will to survive - from devastation to inspiration
- (Your company) - teamwork now more than ever
- Putting the spark in (your company's) fire
- Prejudice, stereotyping and discrimination
- The price tag of greed, an overview of a chutes and ladders life
"In our search for a speaker who was a survivor of the attack in New York on September 11th, 2001, we found Joe who would reveal a miraculous story of survival to the people of Annecy, France at a conference for Pulmonary diseases. "Freelung" the not-for-profit French Organization that plans on offering free lung treatment for the victims of the attack on the World Trade Center greatly benefitted from his amazing speaking skills. Our biggest problem is handling and sorting all of the requests to have him return to speak again"- Dr. Karim Berkani Pulmonologist Annecy, France
"Lieutenant Torrillo was so inspiring. Students gave him a standing ovation, after they sat respectfully for forty minutes listening to his courageous story of heroism. I was most impressed that he wove throughout his story the very important message of how students can be heroes every day by spreading kindness to other people"- Principal Burt, Shepton High School, Plano Texas
"Keynote speaker, Joe Torrillo, brought such a presence to the Nixon Library on September 11, 2011 when he spoke about the tragic events of 9/11. The audience was spellbound and deeply touched by his personal account of what occurred and humbled by what one man can endure and still survive. It was an honor and an inspiration to hear and meet Joe and something I will never forget"- Mayor Nancy, Yorba Linda City Council
"The San Diego County Fair invited Joe Torrillo to be a speaker on the Grandstand Stage for our annual 4th of July ceremonies. 4th of July at the San Diego County Fair is a huge tradition for the community of San Diego County with over 85,000 people attending the festivities. From start to finish, you cannot find a speaker who is more professional, charismatic, and committed than Joe Torrillo. We were delighted to host him at our event. His speech about patriotism in the United States was extremely moving and a wonderful way to kick off the evening for the thousands who witnessed his words on July 4, 2012. We are hopeful that Joe will be available for our event again in 2013. I would highly recommend his services to any organization looking for an authentic, dynamic speaker whose words will ring true to anyone of any demographic"- Katie, San Diego Country Fair
"Memory is a very fragile gift. Experiences that were once understood and deeply felt fade in the torrent of so many other remembrances. Joe Torrillo has devoted much of his academic and emotional life to remembering. For him, he was a NYC Firefighter who was part of a disappearing survivor of 9/11. His values today focus on keeping the terrible experiences alive for his fellow citizen. Joe presents in a clear, meaningful, and informative way that captures the audience"- Prof. Stuart, Syms School of Business, Yeshiva University
"It is with great respect and admiration that I write these words on behalf of Joe Torrillo. I had the privilege of meeting Joe in September of 2011 when he graciously agreed to appear in our pre-game ceremonies as we paid tribute to those who perished on 9/11. It was also a ceremony honoring those who have, and continue to serve our country in the military. Joe assisted us with several media interviews and was absolutely outstanding with the requests we put forth. His experience from that dreadful time, combined with his passion, articulation and optimism made for a tremendous presentation to members of the media. Joe also captivated a large group with a special presentation regarding his 9/11 experiences for one of our season-ticket holders during his visit to Southern California. I truly hope we have an opportunity to work with Joe again in the future. It would be both our pleasure and privilege"- Tim, California Angels Baseball
